This commemorative month is a reflection of the current political climate, so how do we revamp it?
We are in Black History Month in the UK, and it feels like it’s time for a rethink. Throughout its history, an observance that began as a celebration and reminder of heritage, traditions and links between Black populations worldwide, has developed a business-like atmosphere, broadening to incorporate gatherings where Black people are remunerated to address white audiences about “unconscious bias” and “allyship”. The demonstrations for racial justice in the 2020s created a surge in the industry of showcasing anti-racist commitment. Yet, that phase is now over. The surge has reached its height, leaving a sort of hollowed out legacy of what raising awareness is for.
The Origins of Black History Month
First commemorated in the US and Canada, Black History Month was conceived in 1962 as an observance of African American heritage by historian of African descent Carter G. Woodson with multiple days of celebration and reflection in the second week of February. Black History Month evolved from this campaign and was officially launched in 1970. Today it is observed not only in the United States and Canada in the second month, but also in autumn in the United Kingdom, the Federal Republic of Germany, Ireland and the the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The month has developed since that time, giving reduced attention to the narratives of colonial slavery and fights for racial justice, and increasingly on influential individuals of color in public life, creative fields, and advocacy, and extensively acknowledging the contribution Black people have made to shape the country. It is in educational institutions where Black History Month is most commonly celebrated, with talks and cultural events. But the manner the observance is commemorated is a manifestation of the contemporary political context. How it evolves is a instructive case in how appropriation leads to weakening: the transformation of Black History Month has hindered the point of it, which is to address structural and organizational discrimination.
A Troubling Time
Hardly anything shows how critical it is to reconsider Black History Month as much as the current time in which it falls this year. In the United Kingdom, a resurgent right in the form of the Reform organization is ahead in surveys. In the warmer months we saw the biggest extreme right demonstration in British history. a prominent political figure, the African descendant in charge of the Conservative party, is a firm opponent of Black Lives Matter, and we are in a place where a elected representative gains confidence to state that “not seeing any white faces” in parts of a city is a source of worry. Meanwhile, extreme conservative groups are expanding in the EU as a complete entity.
In the United States, a colossal assault against DEI and affirmative action has been brought, frequently with success, to the top legal institutions of the state. A campaign to remove the history of people of color and experience from the historical documents is ongoing. One of the political figure's early administrative commands focused on the institution dedicated to Black heritage, and the prestigious establishment, accusing them of a organized and extensive campaign to rewrite our Nation’s history” by representing the nation “as inherently racist”.
In this context, the month represents how little it can be effective if it is confined to either routine organizational acknowledgments, or politically neutered commemorations of contributions in the past, rather than addressing the realities of the current era. It also demonstrates how its limited duration means that it is detached from the more extensive continuous action that is required. A university professor, a prof at an educational institution, articulated it most accurately when she raised concerns about the short-term symbolic gestures of the observance. “The difficulty with embracing a superficial method”, she wrote, “is that it frequently results in that Black History Month turns into a fleeting performance rather than a catalyst for change.”
Reconsidering, Not Discarding
Establishing how to adjust, modify and expand efforts for fair treatment and appreciation in such times of discouragement and concern is a challenging endeavor. There is a inclination to just eliminate things like Black History Month completely, believing they are inadequate for current needs, or are vestiges of an time that has failed to deliver.
Yet, in spite of all this, Black History Month, and in fact the whole broad system and heritage of racial movements – local anti-racism groups, diversity equity and inclusion initiatives, and certainly, even commercial engagements – form an infrastructure that a considerable labor has been dedicated to. It is there not just to decay as the politics moves on (and in fact, deteriorates), but to be a dynamic entity.
So what would a new dynamic Black History Month appear as? To begin with, it would be more than a single focused period: something that is spread out through the year (as some institutions are already beginning to do), elements of its material (particularly around prominent figures of color) incorporated into school curriculums. It would also be a era that does not evade governmental matters, and allows opportunity for individuals, particularly youth, to express their concerns and stories. What purpose serves basic knowledge of the past when it doesn’t reckon with the present reality of ultra-nationalist gatherings in the urban areas? Organizations who celebrate it should not be pacified with the passive language of implicit prejudice and alertness to “microaggressions”, but challenged by the risks that face all if anti-racism is not treated with importance. Briefly stated, Black History Month should be made contemporary, critical, and adaptive. Perhaps an entire name rebrand is necessary – Present-Day African Heritage Celebration.
